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■ SOCCER

Real Madrid fan stabbed

A Real Madrid fan was stabbed before the Champions League last 16 first-leg match with AS Roma on Tuesday, Italian media said. The young fan was taken to hospital suffering from cuts to his backside after the incident in a square, the ambulance service was quoted as saying. Italy has a soccer hooligan problem and a series of knife attacks have been reported before matches in the Italian capital in recent months.



■ AWARDS

Casey Stoner tops the list

MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner won the top honor at the 28th Australian Sport Awards yesterday. Stoner won the Dawn Fraser Award for his breakthrough victory in last season's MotoGP in recognition of his international achievements. Tour de France runner-up Cadel Evans was named male athlete of the year and the female award went to swimmer Libby Lenton, who won five gold medals at the world championships in Melbourne. Australia's cricketers were named team of the year after winning their third successive World Cup.



■ CRICKET

Dhoni attracts highest bid

Mahendra Singh Dhoni attracted the highest price of US$1.5 million in the first round of bidding yesterday for players in the lucrative new Indian Premier League (IPL). Chennai acquired the services of Indian limited-overs captain Dhoni, a 26-year-old wicketkeeper batsman from the eastern city of Ranchi, for the first three years of the Twenty20 IPL competition. Australia's retiring vice captain Adam Gilchrist attracted the next highest bid -- US$700,000 from Hyderabad, while Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan went to Chennai for US$600,000. The three players were among the six "A" list cricketers or "marquee players" who were pegged as the biggest drawcards and started the bidding session for the eight team franchises at a seafront Mumbai hotel. The Mohali team picked up Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardena for US$475,000, while retired Australia legspinner Shane Warne went to Jaipur for US$450,000. The Calcutta squad acquired the services of Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar for US$425,000.



■ RUGBY UNION

Fiji rugby president resigns

Fiji Rugby Union president Sakiusa Tuisolia resigned yesterday following charges laid against him by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption, installed by the Pacific nation's military regime. Tuisolia faces 44 charges relating to his tenure as Airports Fiji Limited chief executive officer. He said his resignation was "one of principle and necessity to protect and uphold the dignity of the position of president of the FRU. I have offered my resignation as president of the Fiji Rugby Union to the board of the FRU," Tuisolia said. "I take this action with much reluctance and regret but I feel it is the right and proper thing to do."



■ CRICKET

Windies record big win

Steven Jacobs hit a quick-fire century to lead the West Indies to a 176-run victory over Papua New Guinea, while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Malaysia all posted conclusive victories in the Under-19 World Cup's first round matches yesterday. Put into bat, West Indies were 310-all-out in the last over after Jacobs hit 101 in 86 balls, including 11 fours and two sixes. Half centuries by opener Kieran Powell (60) and Darren Bravo (59) helped post a big target. ■ BASEBALL

Ortiz has nearly recovered

David Ortiz has nearly fully recovered from knee surgery he had shortly after the Boston Red Sox won the World Series last year. The star designated hitter arrived at spring training in Fort Myers, Florida, on Tuesday and took some swings in the batting cage. The first official team workout for all players is scheduled for tomorrow. Ortiz said he felt good after leaving the cage. In the postseason last year, he batted .370 with three home runs. The only regulars who haven't shown up in camp are Manny Ramirez, Mike Lowell, Julio Lugo and Coco Crisp. Position players must have reported by yesterday.



■ BASEBALL

Tournament to repeat roster

Next year's World Classic will have the same 16-team field that competed in the initial baseball tournament in 2006. The tournament organization, which is controlled by Major League Baseball and the players' association, on Tuesday invited the eight teams that failed to advance past the first round two years ago: Australia, Canada, China, Italy, the Netherlands, Panama, South Africa and Taiwan. Last April, organizers invited the eight teams that made it to the second round: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Korea, the US and Venezuela. Organizers said they plan to establish qualifying rounds for the 2013 tournament. Japan won the initial tournament two years ago.



■ ICE HOCKEY

Death still unexplained

Medical officials in Windsor, Ontario, may need months to determine what caused the sudden death of junior hockey player Mickey Renaud. The 19-year-old captain of the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires died on Monday after collapsing at his home in Tecumseh, Ontario. An autopsy was conducted on Tuesday, with the results released to Renaud's family, but regional supervising coroner David Eden said details will not be released to the public. He said the autopsy is the first in a series of tests to determine the cause of death. "The autopsy is really the beginning of a process that will take several months," Eden told Windsor radio station CKLW. "We have a lot of testing to do and we'll be keeping the family updated as the investigation proceeds." Renaud's funeral is scheduled for Friday in Tecumseh. The center was the fourth pick -- 143rd overall -- by the Calgary Flames in last year's NHL entry draft.



■ SUPER BOWL

Man indicted for threats

A man accused of planning to shoot people at this year's Super Bowl was indicted on six counts of sending threatening communications, according to court documents filed in federal court in Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday. Kurt William Havelock, 35, turned himself in to authorities on Feb. 3 after driving within sight of University of Phoenix Stadium during the Super Bowl with a rifle and 200 rounds of ammunition. He said he changed his mind. Havelock told authorities he was upset that the city of Tempe denied him a liquor license application for a Halloween-themed bar. Before the planned attack, the indictment said, Havelock sent several letters to Web sites and news organizations. Havelock's writings included an eight-page manifesto in which he warned of an "econopolitical confrontation," according to the FBI.
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